Office of the Historian

File No. 861.00/1658

The Consul General at Moscow ( Summers) to the Secretary of State 2

[Telegram]
Moscow, April 20, 1918, noon.
[Received April 24, 1.10 a.m.]

388. Macgowan [reports] agent Singer Company, probably Russian, imprisoned Krasnoyarsk refusal pay illegal contributions. Singer agent, Tomsk, states armed men forced him pay former clerks Rs. 34,000 arbitrarily claimed. Further reports Red Guards, principally composed Hungarian prisoners who are carrying out arrests, seizures and requisitions [omission?] local council Tomsk levied contribution Rs. 5,000,000 business men. Refusing payment they were arrested [by] armed Hungarians and imprisoned. Macgowan informed Webster and Hicks interference local affairs but was told matter amounted nothing.3 I have taken up energetically with central authorities matter forced contributions and arrests managers American firms. Have been assured that orders have been given stop all future armed [exactions] this nature.

Summers
  1. Sent via the Consulate at Vladivostok.↩
  2. For the connection of Captain Webster and Major Hicks with the investigation of the arming of war prisoners, see ante, p. 483, and vol. ii, chap. i.↩